He has vowed to bring back the death penalty so that he can legally execute drug traffickers, rapists and murderers. On June 1, Duterte said that "corrupt" journalists were legitimate targets for assassination. He once commented on the 1989 gang rape and murder of an Australian missionary during a prison riot: "I was mad she was raped but she was so beautiful. I thought, the mayor should have been first."

Despite all of this, Duterte wristbands are a common sight among poor Filipinos.

This is juxtaposed with data showing that the collective wealth of the 40 richest Filipino families grew by $13bn during the year 2010-2011, to $47.4bn - an increase of 37.9 percent.

The country has a history of oligarchic dictatorships, but the people have now elected an "outside-the-box" candidate. Many impoverished Filipinos say they voted for Duterte because they believe he can reduce crime and create a more just society.

These photos explore some of the disparities in the country today.

Two young people leave a new shopping mall in the wealthy insta-city, and financial district, Bonifacio Global City, Manila. [James Whitlow Delano/Al Jazeera]

The Philippines has a growth rate that rivals China's, but many question who benefits from this economic boom. [James Whitlow Delano/Al Jazeera]

Children in their shack in the Parolas slum, in Tondo, Manila. Millions of Manila residents live in slums. [James Whitlow Delano/Al Jazeera]

Children light a toxic fire in the Parola slum in Tondo. Across the Pasig River, the Baseco slum can be seen. The slums at high tide are contaminated with sewage and rubbish that comes to rest along the waterfront. The luxury high-rise buildings of Malate can be seen in the distance. [James Whitlow Delano/Al Jazeera]

Customers enjoy a rooftop lounge at a boutique hotel in the exclusive, booming district of Bonifacio Global City, in Manila. Young professionals work in this new, planned district in banks and multinational corporations, as well as upmarket residential condominiums and hotels, built on land once occupied by Spanish Fort Bonifacio. [James Whitlow Delano/Al Jazeera]

Many families sleep on the streets of Malate, often suffering not only from poverty, but also from substance abuse problems. [James Whitlow Delano/Al Jazeera]

The shopping district in Muslim Town near the Quiapo Church, Manila's biggest Catholic church. Before the Spanish conquest of Manila in the 16th century, Rajah Sulayman was the last ruler of the Muslim Kingdom of Maynila. [James Whitlow Delano/Al Jazeera]

President Duterte is so popular among people that this neighbourhood amateur basketball team wears his name on their jerseys at a Sunday night tournament. [James Whitlow Delano/Al Jazeera]

A boy cries as a security officer inspects a smartphone that he suspects might be stolen. It was in the possession of his homeless mother. [James Whitlow Delano/Al Jazeera]

Bonifacio Global City is booming. The streets here are wide and uncluttered. There are no overhead electricity wires. Homeless families found on plots of land elsewhere are not present here. It seems a world away from the older districts of Manila. [James Whitlow Delano/Al Jazeera]

A generation ago, Malate, by the bay, was a nice place to live but it has gone into decline, as reflected in the bars and barbed-wire on this house. Malate is seeing the construction of upmarket high-rise residences that are far beyond the means of local residents, exacerbating the gulf between rich and poor. [James Whitlow Delano/Al Jazeera]